ARAFAH-NOT JUST AN ASSEMBLY- BY PROFESSOR TIMEHIN SAHEED OLUROTIMI

Today is the Day of Arafah, the 9th day of Dhul-Hijjah. It is one of the most significant days in the life of a Muslim. Its ritual and spiritual essence for pilgrims and non-pilgrims alike is deeply profound. It is the heart of the Hajj exercise, and it carries fathomable and unfathomable exoteric and esoteric tenor in Islam.

As the pinnacle of the Hajj exercise, the assembly at the plains of Arafah is the central pillar of the experience without which hajj is incomplete. It is the day of divine forgiveness, mercy, and clemency. The beloved Prophet (saw) said: “There is no day on which Allah frees more people from Hell Fire than the Day of ‘Arafah.” It is also the day that marked the completion and perfection of all heavenly laws, after which no other divinely-inspired legislative system can be revealed to mankind. It was on the day of Arafah that Allah revealed:

“This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favor upon you, and approved for you Islam as your religion.” (Qur’an 5:3)

Similarly, Arafah is the day of universal reflection, repentance, and forgiveness. That’s why fasting on this day is highly recommended for non-pilgrims. The Prophet (saw) said:

"Fasting on the Day of ‘Arafah expiates the sins of the previous year and the coming year."

It is thus a time for fervent supplications, remembrance of Allah (dhikr), and renewal of personal commitment to faith. It also symbolises unity and equality of mankind. It is the largest assembly of human beings on earth wherein all tribes and races of mankind are represented in the garment of humility that reveals no distinction in status or position, with their tongues proclaiming nothing but the Majesty of Allah.

This scene at ‘Arafah, with millions of pilgrims in simple white garments (Iḥrām), standing together regardless of race, wealth, or status, epitomises the ideal of human equality and brotherhood before God.

Beyond the surface, this noble assembly at ‘Arafah offers a rich spiritual and symbolic representation as a profound spiritual encounter with the Divine and a symbolic rehearsal for the Day of Judgment. It is a moment of intimate experience of a believer in their longing for union with the Supreme Presence. It echoes the theme of ma‘rifah (gnosis), which projects the name ‘Arafah’ (from the verb ‘arafa, “to know”) as the station of recognition—where the seeker attains true knowledge of Allah

This Arafah episode depicts the state where the believer is stripped of all worldly distinctions and stands in complete humility and obedience, symbolising the annihilation of the ego (fanā’) before the Divine Reality. It also serves as a reenactment of the Primordial Covenant we all had with Allah that we acknowledged Him alone as our Lord and sustainer (Qur’an 7:172).

In a way, therefore, this congregation of diverse people in a single plain reflects the gathering of souls before their descent into the world, and evokes the universal human connection to the Divine, a moment of pre-temporal truth and unity. For the true believer, standing at ‘Arafah is a return to the essential self, uncluttered by illusion and separation, untainted by low desires, and undefined by false ideologies.

It is like experiencing death before death. It is a state when you die to the self so that you can live in the Divine Presence—the moment when the believer dissolves all claims to selfhood and surrenders completely to the One True Reality, Allah.

The physical exhaustion attached to Arafah, the simplicity of dress (iḥrām), the intensity of prayer, and the rigour and discomforts of the experience mirror the inner struggle of the soul and its submission. It is a crucial moment of divine disclosure for the Muslim, and it can truly be likened to a microcosm of Yawm al-Qiyāmah—with its masses, supplication, and raw humanity.

It is also a symbol of personal mystical geography and spiritual odyssey. While ‘Arafah lies between Makkah and Mina, representing the Muslim’s heart and its sacrifice, the assembly at ‘Arafah, then, is the spiritual pause before total surrender. It is not just about asking for forgiveness—it is about expressing the deep yearning (shawq) for intimacy and union with Allah, the Beloved.

The long supplications at ‘Arafah and our ‘ibādah at home (for the non-pilgrim) reflect the lover’s monologue to the Beloved, where tears and words converge.

For the true believer, the assembly at ‘Arafah is not merely a ritual obligation—it is an epiphany of presence, a station of unveiling of obscurities, where the veils between the believer and Allah are thinnest. It is where the soul recognizes, confesses, and rededicates itself to its origin.

I ask Allah by this noble assembly and the multitudes gathered there; and by the lofty recitations, litanies, and solicitations that punctuate its atmosphere, and the submission and the physical, material, and psychological sacrifices of the devotees at the assembly to forgive your sins, overlook your faults, erode your flaws, purify your heart, exalt your position, subdue your challenges, expel your worries, amplify your blessings, and multiply your resources. May this day of Arafah herald for you an era of fulfilled dreams, accepted prayers, and achieved goals.

‘Eid Mubarak in Advance

© TIMEHIN SAHEED OLUROTIMI

- Nigeria